Denial
by Alexas
Summary: My first attempt at Trory and I apologise for the... extended hiatus in updates. Honestly; I am sorry!
1. The Art of Staring

He watched her...   
God, he watched her so much he didn't even know how he managed to pass the subjects that they had together. Even the ones he didn't have with her were only manageable because she ran through his head all day. And even yet, Tristan DuGrey found it hard to admit to himself that he really liked her. Because Rory Gilmore was different. She wasn't supposed to be his style, his type at all. So why couldn't he stop looking at her, even just to listen to the fundamentals of the next major exam which he could not afford to come as close to flunking as he had last time. 

"Get over it DuGrey," he told himself, "you're just coming down with something." 

But even his powers of denial could not fight the evidence that this "something" had been coming down from as long ago as Rory's grand entrance to Chilton.  
Yep, Tristan had it bad but he wasn't about to believe it just yet... he continued to think that he only wanted the conquest. And it suited him fine that the rest of the world would see it that way too until he decided otherwise. 

His thoughts collided with the sudden harshness of a bell tolling the end of period. A slight panic set in when he realised that another fourty minutes had gone over his head and with it, the passing grade on the upcoming exam. He mentally hit himself. He'd just borrow someone's notes and get down to business tonight... 20 chapters weren't too much to catch up on by next week if you had the DuGrey determination he concluded... trailing off to watch Rory finish getting her books together. Amazingly she turned to him before she exited. 

"You don't look so great, do you want me to walk you to the nurse or something?" 

"uh, no. Thanks Rory. I'm cool, just all of the test stuff that went over my head was a little..." 

She looked at him strangely and he realised too late that he was being...nice. He immediately resumed a more Tristan-like stance while gathering his stuff together. 

"overwhelming. You know, the way you feel about me and all Mary." He breathed an inward sigh of relief as she rolled her eyes. 

"...and nice to see you're feeling better." she said over her shoulder as she joined the stream of students in the hallway. Tristan hastened to join the crowd before he was late for gym, to be stopped by Paris who handed him a thick sheaf of papers. He looked at her in query. 

"Notes DuGrey...the things that you sort of forgot to take in your endless endeavours of staring at a certain someone." Her dry voice didn't allow for any of the denials that he would make to anyone else. 

"uh thanks Paris, I'll-" 

"Save it. I'll get them off you tomorrow." 

"Right. thanks again then. Any particular reason for the sudden burst of sharing fun?" 

She avoided his eyes along with his questioning as they left the room... Love triangles were so confusing.


	2. This Boy Scout and I

Rory let out a small yell of exasperation at being trampled for the seventh time that afternoon. Out of habit she bit back the string of abuse that was quickly forming in her head. She seriously reconsidered the course of action but a split second later she felt the warm liquid on her and realised her coffee was slowly spreading not only through her skirt, but also running down into the top of her knee socks. She glared at the retreating group of girls. Why were football practices so over run with hordes of giggling bimbos? What was the big deal? It was just a practice after all-  


Rory's thoughts were abruptly interrupted as the book that she had been reading was thrust back under her nose by unfamiliar hands. 

"Didn't figure this for your scene Mary" 

Of course, should she actually have expected the afternoon to get any better? 

"Hello Tristan." She muttered dejectedly. 

"Came to the conclusion that coffee was only good for wearing these days huh? Hey, I could've told you that. In fact, I could show you if you want. Just let me stock up and then I'm all free for a private fashion parade. Of course, it only really works for you if you're willing to ditch the plaid…" 

She looked up into his characteristic smirk and glittering eyes. 

"You know Tristan, I was wondering what you were doing here. I mean I didn't take you to be a footballer… oh right, forgot sleazy pervert. My bad. Cheerleader ogling, right? More your sport really." She was too busy moving her things away from the rapidly growing coffee spill on the bench to notice the flash of hurt cross his chiselled features. By the time she looked up again, he was a picture of relaxed, mock indignation. 

"Moi? Ouch, Mary. However, I beg to differ. I'm actually here under the dictator-like instruction of Paris. She lent me her English notes yesterday and said she might have an idea to help me out with it all. It's Not exactly my forte these days… I'll get my ass kicked if I don't haul my G.P.A. up sometime soon."  
He watched her peer forlornly at the few remaining drops at the bottom of the cup.  
"You know, you could take me up on that coffee offer Mary. I hate to see you like this. Come on," he smiled winningly, oozing charm. "You, me, a cosy little-" She looked at him in disgust but quickly lit up in a grin of triumph. 

"Tempting as that sounds, I came prepared." She grinned as suddenly a second cup appeared in her hands as if from no where. She caught his glance. 

"Hey, when you've been brought up as I have…" They came to a lapse and fell into an awkward silence. It was a few long seconds before Tristan realised that he was staring at Rory again. But up close this time. She was more beautiful than ever. Why didn't she realise? 

"You're a boy scout? Right, now I've seen it all." 

He earned a roll of her eyes in resignation. 

"What are you doing here anyway? Can't get enough of school, hey?" he asked, avoiding eye contact. Looking at her sometimes for too long just hurt too much, yet it was such an effort to drag his eyes away. Rory narrowed her eyes and sipped her coffee carefully. 

"Actually, Paris asked me to meet her too. How many extra curricular things can one person fit into their life? That girl is like a machine! I mean, how she's involved with the football squad I have no-" 

Neither had heard the sharp whistle signalling the end of practice or the sudden flow of hot sweaty teenage boys, muddy and tired from training, until it was too late and they were engulfed in the swarm. Tristan was shoved against Rory and as he pulled away with another sarcastic remark ready, Rory looked down slowly. She sighed, loudly enough to let the remark die on his lips as he followed her gaze to their now coffee stained blue shirts. 

Their eyes met in a new acceptance. 

"So," he said, hiding his buzz of amusement and sudden joy at the situation. "I take it that's the end of the reserve?" he said, knowing full well that she did not appreciate his assessment of the situation; taking in her stormy disposition.   


"I guess you'll be joining me for that coffee after all." 

A million rejections passed through her mind until she came to the only acceptable ends. She gave him a small smile, full of irony. 

"I guess I will."


End file.
